The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Churn Milk Joan

Standing Stone / Menhir

Folklore

I grew up just down the hill from Milk Churn Joan (as we were taught it by local farmers, etc). The story I heard as a kid was that Joan who had two very sickly parents went out in a very bleak and fierce winter in search of milk. I forget the details but she meets the devil who (perhaps) offers an exchange of life for the life of her parents. She accpets and that is her to this day on the hill.

As for donating a penny on top, this is indeed true and me and a friend would regularly go up there to stand on each other's shoulders to claim the cash. A local farmer (no doubt spuriously) presented a very large old whiskey bottle full of pennies claiming they had all come from the top of Milk Churn Joan to inspire further looting.
Posted by Tirath Singh
9th December 2005ce

Comments (1)

I live in Mytholmroyd and i was told that if you pass by the stone without leaving a penny you will be haunted by her ghost - so i don't know what might happen to you for taking the money left there :) Posted by Fairy0702
28th May 2009ce
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